I suggested that the majority of cheap watches will very likely all have the same mechanism - made by some anonymous looking factory in the Far East. She argued that they would be made by the firm whose name is on the watch (we are talking Canary Islands here!)
I replaced the mechanism in a moderately expensive titanium branded watch and the same type as the original cost 80p in small quantities from some Korean supplier.
Hi Roger Interesting ... how did you assure yourself that the mechanism was identical? I would have thought that there were very many to choose from. I have a watch that this might be useful for...
Thanks J^n
Almost all the 80p watches such as
The batteries they are supplied with are complete rubbish but fit new batteries and they work surprisingly well (especially considering the
79p includes postage from China). They will take a few weeks to arrive.
Last time I and the missus was in the Canaries, we got pestered almost continually by West African migrants trying to sell us fake watches. It was so bad it kind of spoiled the trip TBH. Are they still there flogging hooky gear?
Normally the outside of watches are made by one company and they will be well aware of the different mechanisms available and thus it will be designed to fit that. I doubt there are a huge number of different ones. A friend of mine told me some time ago that even the talking ones tend to be based on the same chip they just configure it differently and shove in a little speaker. Brian
Last time I was in the Canaries was 1973. Tenerife. There was almost nothing there. Oh. Black beaches I remember. Volcanic ash.
From the part number printed on the mechanism. If none, I suppose one would have to go by dimensions and length of winder, these seem to be main variables. Also whether it has a second hand. Mine didn't.
10 years ago we went on a boat between Moscow & St Petersburg calling at various interesting places on the way. One such was a town which, we were told, was the home of Russian watchmaking. One of our party noticed that our local guide wasn't wearing a watch. In perfect English she said "I'm a modern girl, I use my mobile."
Typical harry. Judges everything by the one tiny part he's seen.
Only in the sort of tourist hot spots that attract all the white trash.
Go somewhere quieter and its possible to avoid those as well.
It really is a win-win.
HTH
michael adams
...
In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Peter Parry snipped-for-privacy@wpp.ltd.uk> writes
Maybe it's my eyesight but, when I've dismantled old Casio watches to see if I could replace the battery, there didn't seem to be anything that looked like the common small batteries I know. Do these 79p ones use standard batteries?
The other thing is that SWMBO destroys or loses watches at an amazing rate, and is now down to the last spare of mine. It's her birthday next month so I thought I would treat her and give AliExpress a first try. I went to the site mentioned above and scrolled down to a nice ladies watch. I then hit "Buy Now" and the picture of the watch (white face, black numbers and hands) turned into one that appeared to have a completely blue face with blue hands etc.
Maybe I should try a different browser or I should have registered first?
There isnt just one factory, silly.
You two are clearly made for each other.
With regard to uk watches, my kids bought me a Rotary for my 60th cost maybe £140 new. I only got around to wearing it some 6 years later and the battery was dead. Changed battery and no joy, So asked around and a guy offered to have a look at it as he was a repairer at a top flight jewelers in Scotland (keeping the name quiet) and also did work for royalty, he done a check and said the mechanism was not responding and repairs are worth more than the watch but he would get the replacement and just charge me at cost which he would put through the shop.
2 weeks later he advises it was ready, the proper replacement cost £9 and he wouldnt take the money for it. I had some interesting conversation with him re what they charge for `battery` watches in the uk. basically most watches up to a few hundred pounds cost under £20 to produce, and a good battery mechanism about £12.
Yes, very much so. The back levers off and you have a small standard mechanism with a small battery (I'll find which one tomorrow). Getting the back back on can be fiddly, it is a press fit but you need to get the front and back aligned to get them to fit.
AliExpress use a standard template so look for different versions or colours (Colour often means something different such as design) It works with all browsers and you don't need to register to search or select things.
My understanding is that the better named watches are much more accurate time keepers where crystals are modded/compensated accordingly.
Otherwise everything else is the same.
In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Peter Parry snipped-for-privacy@wpp.ltd.uk> writes
Thanks, Peter. I've now ordered a watch of uncertain size and shape* as a trial so it would be good if you can find the battery type.
SR66/AG4/377/376
(all the same)
In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Peter Parry snipped-for-privacy@wpp.ltd.uk> writes
Thanks. I seem to have a stock of AG4's, so all is good!
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